Bousman Surname

The Bousman surname is German in origin and it appears that our ancestors were from the town of Freilaubersheim in the Hessen-Darmstadt area of Germany. In Germany the name was probably spelled closer to Bausman, but I am unaware of the meaning of the name. With the family's move to America variations in spelling of the name include: Bousman, Bouseman, Bowsman, Bozman, etc.

1st Generation:

Lorentz Bausman was born circa 1730 in Germany. He died in 1808 in Franklin Co., Virginia 1.

Lorentz left the port of Rotterdam, Holland aboard the ship called "Neptune." He arrived in Philadelphia, Penn., on October 25, 1746. He settled in Pennsylvania and was married to Sophia Schmitt on January 29, 1754 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They lived in Heidleburg Township in Lancaster County. Then in about 1761 or 1762 the family moved to York County, Pennsylvania where they settled in Paradise Township. Lorentz and Sophia had seven children: John, Sophia, Frances, Margaret, Eve, Lawrence, and Katerene. Sadly his wife Sophia died in about 1770 and he remarried in about the year 1774 to a woman named Mary Simon. By Mary he had seven more children: George, Elizabeth, Jacob, Adam, Susanna, Mary, and Phillip.

Lorentz was a farmer of some sorts and seems to have been of modest income. By the end of his life it seems that he began using the Anglicized version of his name: Lawrence. Apparently in about 1790-1791 Lorentz moved with his family to Franklin County, Virginia. He
died there in the year 1808, aged about 78.

Lorentz was married first to Sophia Schmitt on January 29, 1754 in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 1. She was born circa 1735 and died circa 1770 in Paradise Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania.

As a child he moved with his family to York County, Pennsylvania, where he spent the majority of his childhood and adolescence. Sometime in the early 1770's John moved to Maryland. John was married to a woman named Elizabeth Wedding on November 27, 1778 in Frederick County, Maryland. Over the next several years, John and Elizabeth continued living in Maryland, but at what location is unknown. Together they had at least 5 children: William, John, Eleanor, Nicodemus and Sarah.

In 1791 or 1792, John moved with his family out west and settled in the Northwest Territory in what is now Ohio. At that point, Ohio was a land of "unchartered territory" and was sparsely populated. It is said that they settled by a fort on the Ohio River. Eventually they moved to what is now Champaign County, Ohio, in north-central Ohio. This move occurred before 1806. Sometime during the 1790's or early 1800's, John's wife Elizabeth died. In 1807 or 1808, John remarried to a recently widowed woman in Champaign County named Rebecca Stilley McGill. She brought to the marriage eight children by her previous marriage.

John was a Baptist and was also a farmer. He and Rebecca lived in what is now Concord Township in Champaign County. Together they had three daughters: Maxamillia, Barbara, and Maria. It is said that John served in the War of 1812 out of Ohio, but this is probably in reference to his son John Jr. In 1818, John served as one of the original trustees for Concord Township. By the late 1810's, John ran into some kind of trouble. In an 1819 document, John stated that he was unable to care for himself and disposed of his property to his wife and son-in-law (Abner Tharp).

At that point, John moved away from his wife and moved to neighboring Logan County, Ohio, where he settled in Lake Township. Over the next three years, John and Rebecca lived separately from each other but did not divorce. It was probably the next most acceptable thing to do. John wrote his will on July 11, 1822 and died sometime between then and November 22, 1822, the date his will was recorded in probate court.

John married first to Elizabeth Wedding on November 27, 1778 in Frederick Co., Maryland 1. She was born circa 1757 in Charles Co., Maryland. She died sometime between 1792 and 1808 in Ohio.

They had the following children:

1

William Bouseman was born circa 1776 in Maryland 2. He died after 1850 in Highland Co., Ohio. He was married first to Sarah circa 1810 in Ohio. (She was born circa 1783 and died on April 4, 1832 in Marshall Twp., Highland Co., Ohio.) He married second to Juliann on June 29, 1832 in Highland Co., Ohio. (She was born circa 1785 in Kentucky 2 and died on September 27, 1853 in Marshall Twp., Highland Co., Ohio.)

2

John Bouseman was born circa 1783 in Maryland. He died after 1822.

3

Eleanor Bouseman was born circa 1786 in Maryland. She died about December 25, 1811 in Wayne Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio. She was married to Joel Thomas on August 10, 1806 in Champaign Co., Ohio 4.

4

Nicodemus Bousman was born circa 1791 in Maryland 2. He died after 1850 in Clinton Co., Illinois.

He was married to Amy or Ersy or Elizabeth Reed on July 9, 1812 in Wayne Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio 4.

Sarah Bouseman was born on August 8, 1792 in Ohio 1. She died on February 5, 1874 in Cass Co., Michigan 1. She was married to Abner Tharp on September 18, 1810 in Champaign Co., Ohio 4. (He was born on April 18, 1787 in Virginia 1 and died on August 7, 1869 in Cass Co., Michigan 1.)

John married second to Rebecca Stilley, the widow of Christopher McGill, in 1807 or 1808 in Champaign Co., Ohio.

She married Thomas R. Hall on February 28, 1833 in Champaign Co., Ohio 4. (He was born on November 8, 1811 in Concord Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio 3 and died on March 3, 1885 in Adams Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio 1.)

They had the following children:

Jasper Newton Hall (1835-1916)md. Florence

John Hall (1837-1922)md. Susanna Weaver

Ann Hall (1840-1920)md. Thomas Fletcher Beall

3

Barbara Bouseman was born on February 28, 1814 in Concord Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio 1. She died on April 5, 1888 in Jasper Co., Indiana 1.

She married William R. Pullin on February 22, 1836 in Champaign Co., Ohio 4. (He was born January 18, 1818 in Virginia 1 and died on July 11, 1859 in Champaign Co., Ohio 1.)

They had the following children:

John J. Pullin (1838-1908)md. Mary E. Morris

Charles Norris Pullin (1839-1927)md. Sarah Emily Hinkle

Rebecca Jane Pullin (1842-1843)

William Newton Pullin (1844-1913)

Eliza Jane Pullin (1846-1858)

3rd Generation:

Maxamillia Bouseman was born on January 13, 1809 in Concord Township, Champaign County, Ohio 5. She died on August 30, 1868 in Canyonville (now Riddle) Pct., Douglas Co., Oregon 5. She is buried in the Riddle Cemetery, Riddle, Douglas Co., Oregon.

Maxamillia was raised in Champaign County, Ohio, where she lived on the family farm in Concord Township. She had two younger sisters and at least thirteen older half-siblings. She was raised as a Baptist and probably attended the Kings Creek Baptist Church in Champaign County. In the late 1810's, when Maxamillia was verging on adolescence, her parents separated and her father moved away to neighboring Logan County, Ohio. Maxamillia continued living with her mother and siblings in Champaign County. She attracted the interest of a young man named William Riddle, a blacksmith, who lived in neighboring Logan County, Ohio. They were married in 1826; Maxamillia was 16 and William was 20.

After the marriage, William and Maxamillia settled just outside of the village of West Liberty in Logan County, Ohio. There, they began to raise a family, but only remained there about ten years. In the year 1836 (some sources say 1838), Maxamillia and her family moved out west to Illinois. They settled on a farm in Williams Township, about eleven miles north of Springfield, in Sangamon County, Illinois. At this location, William ran a blacksmithing business and Maxamillia was mostly in charge of running the family corn farm, which did quite well. Maxamillia and William were pillars of their community and were strict adherents to the Baptist faith. They also seem to have been quite frugal. The two photographs that survive that have them together were taken some 10-20 years apart, but they are obviously wearing the same clothing and holding the same bible.

Although they were successful in Illinois, they were apparently not content there. They became inspired by stories of opportunity and fortune of Oregon and California and were particularly influenced by a neighbor of theirs named Isaac Constant (he eventually became the brother-in-law of Maxamillia's daughter Artinecia). William and Maxamillia made the decision to traverse the Oregon Trail and try their luck again. They were able to sell their land quite easily and left Illinois in March of 1851. They endured a lengthy journey, during which their train was attacked by Indians at least one time. They arrived in southern Oregon in the fall of 1851. The wagon train was on its way from southern Oregon to the Willamette River Valley of northern Oregon, but the Riddles decided to not go the whole way. At the outpost of Canyonville in Douglas County, William and Maxamillia stopped. They went into the rural areas near Canyonville and claimed a 320-acre ranch in the Cow Creek Valley.

Maxamillia and her family moved into the Cow Creek Valley in the fall or early winter of 1851 and began building their log cabin. They were the first white people to settle in the Cow Creek Valley, but were not its earliest inhabitants. At their first camping in the valley, they were met by the Cow Creek Indians and the relationship between the Riddles and the Cow Creek tribe grew quite friendly. On one occasion, an Indian saved the life of Maxamillia's half-sister Lucinda McGill. As other whites started to settle the area, they were hostile towards the Indians, but the Riddles remained friendly. Maxamillia was called "Mulagolan" by the Indians, which means "Mother." Sadly, as a result of the Rogue River Indian War of 1855-1856, most of the Cow Creek Indians were murdered and the survivors were sent to reservations hundreds of miles away. Maxamillia and her family were successful at cultivating their farm, which was called "Glenbrook Farms." In the 1880's, Maxamillia's son John platted a townsite nearby which was called Riddle. This city is now about a mile east of the Glenbrook Farms.

Maxamillia was by all accounts a courageous woman, and often risked her life or reputation to help or family or her neighbor. Maxamillia died on August 30, 1868 at her home near what is now Riddle, Oregon from a tumor in her liver. She was 59 years old.

She was married to William H. Riddle on July 13, 1826 in Concord Twp., Champaign Co., Ohio 4.